Collaborative Research: GP-IMPACT: A Geopathway Utilizing High-Tech Geoscience Experiences for Recruitment and Retention -- A Collaboration between PBSC and FAU

该项目旨在改善美国劳动力中目前日益严重的地球科学家短缺状况。其目标是将一种变革性的模式制度化，以实现长期、持续的招生和留住棕榈滩州立学院(PBSC)的学生，这是一所两年制学院(2YC)，特别是更多的女性和代表不足的少数族裔(URM)，进入佛罗里达州大西洋大学(FAU)的地球科学项目，这是一所位于南佛罗里达州的四年制院校(FAU)。这一模式的拟议活动，如在FAU和PBSC的科学课程中嵌入劳动力准备部分，开发和实施探索地球路径暑期研究所(EGSI)和本科生地球路径研究体验(UGRE)，将向更多的学生展示和培训尖端地球科学技术，支持并与NSF的驾驭数据革命和未来工作大想法保持一致。PIS预计，熟练的地球科学家的毕业率将持续上升，他们将准备好进入劳动力大军，并在能源、石油和天然气、环境服务、采矿、研究机构以及联邦、州或地方政府等急需的行业寻求就业机会。通过这个项目，PIS还打算让PBSC和FAU的学生和教职员工与NSF的Include Big Idea保持一致，即“渴望改变教育和职业道路，帮助扩大对科学和工程的参与”。本项目旨在改善目前美国劳动力中日益严重的地球科学家短缺状况。我们的目标是将一种变革性的模式制度化，以实现长期、持续的招生和留住棕榈滩州立学院(PBSC)的学生，这是一所两年制学院(2YC)，特别是更多的女性和代表不足的少数族裔(URM)，进入佛罗里达州大西洋大学(FAU)的地球科学项目，这是一所位于南佛罗里达州的四年制院校(FAU)。通过瞄准PBSC多样化的学生群体，该项目将显著增加FAU地球科学项目的招生人数以及女性和城市管理人员的数量。作为变革模式的一部分，PIS将实施：(1)扩大转学学生渠道，增加学生多样性，办法是从PBSC招收地学专业的学生，修订和加强转学衔接协议(链接计划)，实施专门针对地球科学的2+2转学飞行计划，开发跨机构协作建议协议框架，并在PBSC学生转学到FAU之前直接启动和嵌入职业准备部分。(2)建立一个新的探索地球科学暑期研究所(EGSI)，利用丰富的地球科学高科技和实地方法，利用真实的经验，旨在吸引和招收PBSC学生。(3)开发新的本科地球科学研究体验(UGRE)，旨在激励和留住转学学生进入FAU地球科学学位课程的早期阶段。(4)与教师和同伴导师一起加强部门文化，使之成为一个对学生更友好、更支持的环境。PIS预计结果将把这一模式定位为易于被其他机构采用的模式。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Part 1This project aims to ameliorate the current and increasing severe shortage of geoscientists in the U.S. workforce. The goal is to institutionalize a transformative model to effect a long-term, sustained increase in recruitment and retention of students from Palm Beach State College (PBSC), a two-year college (2YC), particularly more women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), into geoscience programs at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), a four-year (4yr) institution in South Florida. The proposed activities of this model, such as embedding workforce readiness components into the science curriculum at FAU and PBSC, developing and implementing Exploring Geopaths Summer Institute (EGSI) and Undergraduate Geopaths Research Experiences (UGRE), which will both expose and train more students in cutting-edge geoscience technologies, support and align with NSF's Harnessing the Data Revolution, and Future of Work Big Ideas. PIs anticipate a sustained increase in graduation rates of skilled geoscientists who will enter the workforce ready and pursue employment opportunities in much needed sectors such as: energy, oil and gas, environmental services, mining, research institutes, and federal, state or local governments. Through this project PIs also intend to position PBSC and FAU students and faculty in line with NSF's INCLUDES Big Idea that "aspires to transform education and career pathways to help broaden participation in science and engineering".Part 2This project aims to ameliorate the current and increasing severe shortage of geoscientists in the U.S. workforce. Our goal is to institutionalize a transformative model to effect a long-term, sustained increase in recruitment and retention of students from Palm Beach State College (PBSC), a two-year college (2YC), particularly more women and underrepresented minorities (URMs), into geoscience programs at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), a four-year (4yr) institution in South Florida. By targeting the diverse student population at PBSC, the project will significantly increase the enrollment, and the number of females and URMs in geoscience programs at FAU. As part of the transformative model PIs will implement: (1) Growing the transfer student pipeline and increasing student diversity by recruiting geoscience majors from PBSC, revising and strengthening the transfer articulation agreement (Link Program), implementing geoscience-specific 2+2 transfer flight plans, developing a cross-institutional collaborative advising protocol framework, and initiating and embedding career readiness components directly into the geosciences courses taken by PBSC students prior to transferring to FAU. (2) Developing a new Exploring Geopaths Summer Institute (EGSI), with authentic experiences utilizing a rich spectrum of geoscience high-tech and field methods, designed to attract, and recruit PBSC students. (3) Developing a new Undergraduate Geopaths Research Experiences (UGRE), designed to motivate and retain transfer students early in their matriculation into geoscience degree programs at FAU. (4) Enhancing the departmental culture with faculty and peer mentors to make it a more welcoming, and supportive environment for students. PIs anticipate the outcomes will position this model as one that can be easily adopted by other institutions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.